ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTSECOND QUARTER 2016

2

In this issue

We sort and carry trash to the curbside, but how safe it is it? Are we boxing glass and ensuring

bags are easy to lift with one hand? Learn how small changes can affect the health and safety of

collectors.

Safe waste, safe workers4

It started as a safety tool for the construction industry. Now the NB OHS Guide app, an extension

of the Guide to OHS Legislation portal, is relevant to every New Brunswick worker and employer.

An app for every New Brunswicker8

13

WorkSafeNB uses LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube to participate in the safety conversation.

Safety partners are liking and sharing it.

Tweeting and posting the safety message

WorkSafeNB celebrates 10 years of hosting Progressive Agriculture Safety Day in northwestern

New Brunswick.

Safety Day turns 1014

The new Issues Resolution Office offers a second review for workers and employers who disagree

with a claim decision or are displeased with service.

IRO gets off the ground10

4 8 10 12 14

3

Safety is always the priority Have you ever wondered what happens to your trash after you drop if off at the curb? Or what would happen if suddenly all garbage collection in your community stopped? While it’s not something most of us spend much time thinking about, the reality is waste collection is a vital service that keeps our communities clean, vibrant and functional.

While perhaps not typically thought of as a dangerous occupation, statistics show just the opposite – waste collection is a hazardous line of work. Those employed in the industry deal with everything from mechanical and traffic hazards, hot and cold weather conditions, hazardous waste and the risks associated with musculoskeletal injuries, to name a few. In fact, New Brunswick’s waste collectors are three times more likely to be hurt on the job than the average worker. Tragically, since 2003, four waste collection workers have lost their lives on the job.

At WorkSafeNB, safety is always the priority. We want to prevent illnesses or injuries, so no one gets hurt. WorkSafeNB regularly focuses on high-risk industries to reduce injuries and promote a safety culture in workplaces, and has had significant success in supermarkets and nursing home facilities across the province. We expect to achieve the same results with our new safe waste collection initiative.

It’s a multi-pronged approach. Education, public awareness, recommendations that safety be included in the contracting process, and guidance to help ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act all play a role. However, these efforts need your help. We can all do our part. Lighten the load. Box up your glass. Be cautious when driving around garbage trucks on the street.

I encourage you to visit our campaign website for resources to help you get started. If we all follow these simple guidelines, we can help waste collectors return safely home at the end of each shift.

Thank you for your help with this initiative. If you have any questions about workplace health and safety, please drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you.

Gerard M. Adams, CPA, CA, ICD.DWorkSafeNB President and CEO

4

Your curbside is their workplace Help keep waste collectors safe

5

WorkSafeNB launches public awareness campaign

One person’s trash may be another person’s treasure, but it shouldn’t become another person’s injury.

That’s the position WorkSafeNB took when it launched its Safe Waste Collection initiative in September 2015, which aims to reduce the injury rate in an industry that sees its workers experience three times as many workplace injuries than the provincial average. Tragically, four New Brunswick waste collection workers have died from workplace injuries since 2003.

InjuryFrequency(per100FTEs)

7.94

9.99

6.99 7.137.44

8.74

7.99

5.85

4.38

5.94

3.76

2.85

3.57

4.96

4.28

3.06

3.24 3.22 3.17

3.10

3.01 3.022.76

2.95

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016Est

WasteCollec7on(allinjuries)

WasteCollec7on(lost-7meinjuries)

Provincial(allinjuries)

It’s a problem that demanded attention, said Anne Lise Albert, assistant director of WorkSafeNB’s program development and evaluation department.

“We know workers deal with many safety hazards, including heavy waste, vehicular traffic, working in the elements and handling waste containing sharp objects. Because of these hazards and the troubling accident rates, we designated waste collection as a focus industry for intervention,” Albert said.

As part of its safety goal, WorkSafeNB regularly focuses on reducing injuries in high-risk industries. In recent years, WorkSafeNB has helped workers in nursing home, supermarket, forestry and construction sectors.

“Waste collectors face risks daily. They have a difficult job,” Albert said. “We are working with employers and workers to ensure they have the resources and support needed to reduce these risks.”

In 2013 Albert was part of a committee that started looking at ways to help keep waste collection workers safe. WorkSafeNB consulted private waste collection companies, municipalities, regional service commissions and other industry stakeholders for feedback on its planned strategy, which takes a multipronged approach that includes:

• Increased awareness • Focused compliance activities • Recommendations to require safety policies

procedures in the tendering process• Public awareness and engagement

6

WorkSafeNB asks homeowners to consider how they prepare garbage. Simple acts, like ensuring bags can be lifted with one hand and hazardous materials don’t go to the curb, can help waste stay safe.

One of those employers was The Miller Group, whose

Atlantic division is based in Moncton. Miller’s program

safety manager, Lee Mercer, said his organization is

always looking for ways to make work safer for its

employees and was happy to take part.

“Training and safety are extremely important to

Miller’s success,” Mercer said. “We are committed to

working together to have an effective health and safety

management system, recognizing that everyone has a

right to a safe workplace.”

Mercer said the relationship with WorkSafeNB throughout

this initiative has been particularly positive, and that

employees were given a chance to share their ideas.

“Direct interaction with WorkSafeNB staff through open

forum training, orientation sessions and onsite job

demand assessments allow our most valuable resource,

our people, to be instrumental in identifying positive

ideas to address the daily hazards associated with

residential waste collection,” he said.

Homeowners can help in many ways and are a critical

partner in the initiative. For example, they can ensure

their garbage is within recommended weight limits and

is free from sharp objects. They can also ensure the end

of their driveway is free from tripping hazards. Knowing

that the public is a key partner, WorkSafeNB launched an

awareness campaign in May, and Mercer said he is seeing

positive results in the Moncton area.

Are you a safety champion for your waste collector?

Take our quiz to find out!

“We have seen an encouraging reduction in bag weights

for organic collections. Residents are also disposing

broken glass by placing shards in cardboard boxes, taping

the cover closed and then marking the box to identify the

risk to our collection teams. Both of these concerns were

identified during the educational campaign and should

be considered a testament to the program’s success.”

But the success extends beyond the Moncton metro

region. Pierre Ethier, a homeowner in east Saint John,

recalls finding a WorkSafeNB flyer in his monthly hydro

bill with tips on how to keep his waste collector safe. As

someone who has battled back injuries of his own, he

said he was always cognizant of how much waste he was

putting in his bin, but obviously it’s not the case for everyone.

“Sometimes people (may) get consumed with the idea of

getting everything in the trash and off their property for

collection day. I think it’s just a matter of not realizing that

‘hey, maybe this bin is too heavy.’” He said the awareness

campaign was a simple, effective way to get the word out.

“I don’t feel anyone would intentionally put their waste

collector at risk of an injury. An awareness campaign like

this helps to give you that pause for thought.”

7

The making of a flipbookLike all workers, waste collectors need knowledge to help them do their jobs safely. The WorkSafeNB committee tasked with helping collectors saw an opportunity to improve their awareness of industry hazards and safe work practices.

To meet this need, WorkSafeNB developed a small, visual flipbook. The Safe Waste Collection Worker’s Guide highlights the more important ways waste collectors can help keep themselves and their co-workers safe.

Led by an ergonomic consultant, with support from an education consultant and other WorkSafeNB professionals, the flipbook showcases key throwing techniques, safe equipment handling procedures and more.

“It’s brief and to the point, designed for quick reference,” said Anne Lise Albert, WorkSafeNB assistant director – program development and evaluation.

Made with non-tearable waterproof paper, it can be easily handled and stored in a truck or garage.

WorkSafeNB consulted several New Brunswick stakeholders, seeking advice on size, content and usability.

“Several waste collection companies and municipalities provided feedback,” Albert said. “In addition, the City of Saint John offered use of a truck and garage space at its east depot for a photoshoot. We’re very pleased with how the industry has supported this initiative. Everyone is eager to help keep our collectors safe.”

The safe waste collection flipbook is a great example of a collaborative effort. It’s a resource that addresses the industry’s specific challenges, and is expected to be a valuable tool for years to come.

The Safe Waste Collection Worker’s Guide is bound with metal rings so it can be easily handled and stored.

The flipbook features colourful charts and bullet-point-style text.

8

WorkSafeNB introduces appWorkSafeNB’s vision is healthy and safe workplaces in New Brunswick. We want everyone to return home safely from work to their loved ones each day.

Members of the construction industry told WorkSafeNB that they needed to easily and quickly access information to help them do their job safely. It isn’t realistic to carry around large volumes of safety information and legislation.

To address the concern, WorkSafeNB established a stakeholder committee. The group recommended that information related to worksites needed to be readily available in French and English, easy to read and understand at the appropriate literacy level, and include photos and illustrations.

WorkSafeNB has long enjoyed a close working relationship with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS). Building on this relationship, it partnered with CCOHS to help us develop a tool to address the needs voiced by the construction industry.

With workplace health and safety legislation changing often, WorkSafeNB recognized that this tool also had to be adaptable. CCOHS developed a tool that tested well with key audiences, and in 2015 it launched the WorkSafeNB Guide to OHS Legislation portal.

It began with 30 topics with links to resources, including photos and illustrations, legislation, hazard alerts and safety talks, all in an easy-to-read format. WorkSafeNB revised “lawyer speak” and technical jargon to plain language.

WorkSafeNB was thrilled with the product and public response. However, it saw further potential. To make the Guide as accessible as possible, it needed to be on mobile devices. In February 2016, WorkSafeNB introduced the NB OHS Guide app for iOS and Android.

9

Internal ambassadors

WorkSafeNB also engaged staff members who meet

and talk to workers, employers, health and safety

representatives and JHSC members every day.

Through email, Intranet and group meetings, it promoted

the app’s benefits and encouraged all employees to

endorse it in all their interactions.

WorkSafeNB’s field staff members (health and safety

officers and investigators, health and safety consultants

and education consultants) were given promotional cards

and stylus pens to distribute in workshops and during

visits with employers and workers.

As a result of these interactions, one employee

recommended WorkSafeNB add a tagline to our email

signatures. This added app exposure in more than 12,000

daily email interactions. Employees were engaged and

supportive.

WorkSafeNB expects even greater numbers as workers

and employers throughout New Brunswick increasingly

discover and use the tool.

(The app) allows you to get an overview of a topic, dive deeper into the actual legislation if you need to, as well as provide additional resources that can be implemented right away. It is a simple and easy to use solution that saves time and effort in researching the various topic areas. I use the guide quite frequently and have been encouraging other safety professionals to do the same.

Darrel Nickerson, Director of Safety for J.D. Irving, Limited

An app for every New Brunswicker

While WorkSafeNB originally developed the Guide to

respond to a need in the construction industry, it quickly

evolved to be relevant and valuable to all New Brunswick

employers and employees.

With topics such as heat and cold stress, workplace

inspections, working alone ladders and noise, the Guide

and app offer value to most workplaces.

Through social media and direct messaging to employers

and worker groups, WorkSafeNB increased awareness,

promoting flexibility and ease of use of new app and

portal.

An animated digital ad helped spread the messages to

multiple stakeholder groups effectively and efficiently

and a social media campaign reinforced our reputation as

an organization that is responsive and adaptive.

Promotion of the mobile app and web portal is bringing

more users to the resources. Q1 to Q2 saw user numbers

increase for both platforms – 93.5% increase for the

mobile app and 90.7% for the web portal.

In addition, a new topic was published in Q2 for WHMIS

that includes information for the transition to WHMIS

2015.

INCREASED FROM8% TO 92%

In addition, WorkSafeNB key employee usage (health and safety officers/consultants, education consultants and ergonomics consultants)

UP 93.5% MOBILE APPUP 90.7% WEB PORTAL

From end of Q1 to end of Q2

10

NAOSH Week breakfasts across provinceWorkSafeNB representatives spoke at NAOSH (North

American Occupational Safety and Health) Week

breakfasts in Bathurst, Miramichi, Saint John, Fredericton,

Woodstock, Edmundston and Moncton in early May.

Nicole Melanson, WorkSafeNB health and safety

consultant, was the featured speaker at the Moncton

gathering on May 5. Titled “NAOSH Breakfast: Revitalizing

your JHSC,” the session asked 120 attendees to think

about how their JHSCs perform.

“JHSCs are vital to the wellness and health of New

Brunswick workers,” Melanson said. “There are several

resources available to help JHSC members foster a safe

work culture.” WorkSafeNB regularly provides talks and

information sessions during the annual awareness week.

Issues Resolution Office opensWorkSafeNB’s Issues Resolution Office (IRO) began

operations in April and is now working to improve service

for New Brunswick’s workers and employers.

The IRO offers clients a secondary review of

claim-related decisions. It also investigates and helps

resolve service issues. “We believe that looking at

ourselves from our clients’ perspective is healthy and will

improve our relationships with our clients, and ultimately

our service,” said Gerard Adams, WorkSafeNB's president

and CEO. “The IRO is committed to ensuring all who deal

with WorkSafeNB continue to receive the respect, rights

and benefits they deserve.” For more about the IRO, visit

Issues Resolution Office.

Walk and Roll draws community membersAbout 125 people attended WorkSafeNB’s Walk and Roll

challenge on June 3 to recognize Disability Awareness

Week. Some participants used canes, walkers and

wheelchairs in a one-kilometre walk around WorkSafeNB’s

Rehabilitation Centre in Grand Bay-Westfield to better

understand the barriers people with disabilities face daily.

This is the second year WorkSafeNB has invited members

of the public to participate. Among attendees were

Grand Bay-Westfield mayor Grace Losier and workers

from Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission.

At a glance

11

WorkSafeNB at underwater conferenceWorkSafeNB participated at the 2016 Canadian

Underwater Conference and Exhibition (CUCE) in Halifax,

April 2-5. The conference attracted 200 delegates, with

34 exhibitors. Richard Blais, WorkSafeNB’s director of

compliance and regulatory review, was a featured

speaker in a panel discussion on the roadblocks to

adopting and enforcing CSA standards as the basis for

effective provincial diving regulations. WorkSafeNB also

hosted a booth at CUCE, which proved popular with

visitors, as staff promoted our OHS Guide to Legislation

portal and app.

Day of Mourning honours workersHundreds of people from across the province paused

for a moment of silence on April 28 to remember those

killed or seriously injured on the job. Post-Secondary

Education, Training and Labour Minister Francine Landry

spoke on behalf of the Province of New Brunswick was

at a ceremony at the Frank and Ella Hatheway Centre in

Saint John. “Every year almost 10,000 workers are injured.

These tragic accidents can be prevented. Observing the

National Day of Mourning motivates us to remain vigilant

in promoting safe working practices,” Landry said in a

statement. Day of Mourning is recognized by businesses

and organizations across the country. In our province,

the New Brunswick Federation of Labour organized

six ceremonies. WorkSafeNB supported the efforts

by sponsoring a luncheon in Saint John and setting

up a booth to hear concerns from workers and offer

prevention resources.

Steps for Life supports families WorkSafeNB demonstrated its caring spirit at this year’s

Steps for Life event in Saint John. Seventy-eight staff

members, families and friends participated in the five-

kilometre walk, more than doubling the 2015 team size.

More than $11,000 was raised for Threads of Life services

and programs, which help families heal after a loved one

is seriously injured or is killed from a workplace injury.

The national charity also promotes the elimination of life-

altering workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths.

12

2nd place: Short CircuitJiawen Deng; Talha Taj; Tash ZamanFredericton High School, Fredericton

3rd place: Les dangers insoupçonnés du macaroniMarianne Arseneau; Talia Richard; Érick ThériaultÉcole Sainte-Anne, Fredericton

1st place: Prendre conscience de ses limitesIsmaël Haché IbrahamPolyvalente Louis-Mailloux, Caraquet

WorkSafeNB congratulates all New Brunswick students who participated in 2016.

Caraquet teen wins video contestA video warning about the dangers of fatigue on the job earned top spot in WorkSafeNB’s “Focus on Safety” youth video contest.

Caraquet’s Ismaël Haché Ibraham demonstrated how tiredness and inattention can lead to injury and death in his two-minute clip, entitled Prendres Conscience de ses Limites.

Haché Ibraham's video shows how tiredness can lead to a workplace injury.

Ismaël HachéIbraham

Haché Ibraham said his goal was to illustrate how drowsy driving jeopardizes not only the worker, but others as well.

“People might be willing to take more risks if it’s only their own health at stake. The decision to implicate the safety of others was a key message in this video,” Haché Ibraham said.

The Grade 10 student said the contest was a great opportunity to combine the value of safety with his love of filmmaking.

“I discovered my love for filmmaking when I was 11 years old. Over the years I’ve taken a few workshops so this was a great opportunity to combine my passion with the safety values my mother instilled in me at a young age.”

Gerard Adams, WorkSafeNB president and CEO, said Haché Ibraham’s submission stood out for its relevancy and impact.

“Ismaël’s video is a reminder we must all be fully attentive and careful when on the job.”

The “Focus on Safety” video competition is part of a national program co-ordinated by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

WorkSafeNB looks forward to another youth video contest in 2017.

13

Getting the safety message outthrough social mediaSafety is about education, and knowledge is best shared.

To share its knowledge and spread the safety message, WorkSafeNB has embraced social media.

Since 2014, WorkSafeNB has been working behind the scenes, setting up platforms and forming alliances with safety partners and associations.

WorkSafeNB is now on three platforms: Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

“We’re seeing great strides and promise with all three,” said Manon Arsenault, WorkSafeNB’s director of communications.

“Twitter has been valuable for sharing updates, research, workshop offerings and other important information,” she said. “It’s a good vehicle for getting news out there quickly and effectively.”

WorkSafeNB uses LinkedIn to get injury prevention messages out to employers and workers, as well as find talented, qualified professionals.

“It’s a go-to place for reaching New Brunswick’s workforce,” she said.

WorkSafeNB’s YouTube channel now hosts nearly 50 videos, and it’s expected to grow rapidly.

“We plan to post more education videos, offering greater access and flexibility for New Brunswickers.” As an added bonus, viewers are directed to other great safety videos, leveraging safety messages from partners.

“We share many great resources, such as infographics, news stories, podcasts and videos from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety and Skills Canada. We’re working together to improve workplace safety culture.”

WorkSafeNB also listens and communicates on social media channels.

“We want to hear what is being said. We want to understand our stakeholder needs and be responsive,” Arsenault said. “Social media allows us to be an active partner, chatting about safety challenges and, together, finding solutions.”

14

Betting the farm on safety More than 350 elementary schoolchildren participated in Progressive Agriculture Safety Day in Grand Falls on June 17, marking WorkSafeNB’s 10th year of hosting the event.

WorkSafeNB began hosting harvest safety sessions in response to fatal farm accidents that included youth. When WorkSafeNB partnered with the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day foundation, it broadened its scope to cover topics such as first aid, fire protection, water safety, hearing protection and Internet safety.

“It’s grown to be an event that demonstrates to young people the importance of always being careful – at school, at home, on the farm and in the community. It’s about instilling a safety culture wherever they are, and continuing those safety conversations at home with their families and friends,” said Gerard Adams, WorkSafeNB’s president and CEO.

And while the kids are busy having fun, Adams said they might not even realize they’re learning.

“Throughout the day, students engage with instructors as they learn about how to ensure their own health and safety and they are having fun while doing so.”

WorkSafeNB organizes two safety days (one French, one English) each year with help from staff and community partners.

Local school districts, the Department of Public Health, Potatoes NB, the Department of Social Development and the Progressive Agriculture Foundation help WorkSafeNB deliver the program.

10th anniversary activities include photo and video opportunities and a commemorative calendar to thank all participants and volunteers.

IsabelleI learned that you have to be careful with how loud your headphones are or you can really damage your hearing.

AudreyI really liked the station on germs because in the demonstration you could really see them.

ElianeI learned that when you are using an ATV in the woods you have to wear a helmet that’s approved by the Department of Transportation.

MichaelThe instructor explained how his friend fired a gun without ear muffs. He ended up with an ear infection and damaging his hearing.

15

New Brunswick student medals at national safety event WorkSafeNB congratulates New Brunswick’s James Reid for taking home the bronze medal in the workplace safety category at the 22nd annual National Skills Canada competition. Reid, a Grade 10 student at École Marie-Esther in Shippagan, was one of nine New Brunswick students to earn a medal on the national stage in Moncton on June 9. It was the first time New Brunswick hosted the event.

Jessica MacDonald, WorkSafeNB’s youth programs co-ordinator, said she was very pleased with how Reid performed.

“I’m extremely encouraged by James’ recognition at this event. Not only did he have a strong performance in each of the three tasks, but as a tenth grader he was also among the younger competitors this year. He will be well prepared as a safety ambassador when he enters the workforce full-time.”

WorkSafeNB serves on Skills Canada New Brunswick’s board of directors and sponsors the provincial workplace safety competition each year as part of its youth initiatives.

Follow the link for more information on the 2016 Skills Canada National Competition.

Jessica MacDonald, WorkSafeNB’s youth programsco-ordinator, congratulates James Reid for his win.

16

Learn more

WorkSafeNB’s 2015 Annual Report

WorkSafeNB’s Q1 Accountability Report

Contact

Previous assessment ratesStrategic Plan & Risk Assessment

2016-2021

Quick Facts Financials

Safety

Staff Engagement

Sustainability

Service

Stewardship

Support